Wed, Jan 22, 2003
First Test Successful
Northrop Grumman Corporation's Integrated Systems sector has
conducted the first flight demonstration of an unmanned air vehicle
(UAV) system designed to employ a fully-autonomous UAV to deliver a
variety of payload packages to multiple, preprogrammed
locations.
Developed and demonstrated within an eight-week
period, the system is derived from the highly successful, reliable
BQM-34 Firebee aerial target. The 36-minute flight, conducted Dec.
20, 2002, at an undisclosed Department of Defense test range,
demonstrated autonomous navigation, payload carriage and payload
deployment followed by successful recovery of the air vehicle.
"This project demonstrated both the versatility of the BQM-34
airframe and the fast reaction development capability in place at
the company's Unmanned Systems facility in San Diego," said Al
Nikolaus, Northrop Grumman's Firebee program manager.
"This was a team effort, integrating Firebee parts
from all three military services built over a period of 30 years
plus newly manufactured parts and modern, autonomous navigation
systems," said Doug Fronius, Northrop Grumman's director for
Targets programs.
The project was developed at the Integrated Systems sector's
Unmanned Systems unit in San Diego. System modifications included
integrating 1970s-era AQM-34L bomb rack-equipped wings with BQM-34S
Firebee targets currently produced. Large composite payload pods
manufactured for Northrop Grumman by Grove Aircraft (El Cajon, CA)
were designed and integrated onto the air vehicle. In addition, a
portable range safety flight termination system was integrated to
allow system testing at a non-target test range facility.
Software was modified to provide fully autonomous mission
capability, payload deployment and ground control station
integration. Finally, the system was tested "end to end" at the
program's system integration center facility.
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